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Morneau goes deep before departing for Classic

Prospect Gibson gives up one run, three hits in 1 2/3 innings against Boston

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By Rhett Bollinger

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Ryan Sweeney provided a go-ahead single in the fifth inning to help lead the Red Sox to a 2-1 win over the Twins on Saturday at Hammond Stadium.

Sweeney brought home Jonathan Diaz with a one-out single off right-hander Esmerling Vasquez.

Juan Carlos Linares homered for the Red Sox off Twins prospect Kyle Gibson in the second. Gibson, making his first Grapefruit League start after throwing two scoreless innings in relief on Sunday, gave up one run on three hits over 1 2/3 innings.

First baseman Justin Morneau homered for the Twins in his final game before departing for Arizona to join Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Morneau's homer came off reliever Alfredo Aceves in the fourth.

"Hopefully it means we're ready to go," said Morneau, who leads the Twins with eight RBIs in seven Grapefruit League games. "It's a good way to head in there, that's for sure."

Right-hander Clay Buchholz made his first start of the spring for the Red Sox. Buchholz, who was slowed by a sore right hamstring, tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit -- a single to Joe Mauer in the first -- and walked two.

"It was good to get out there," Buchholz said. "Everything felt good. I was a little amped up during the game and left a couple of pitches up in the zone and lost a couple of hitters in some counts that you'd like to either let them get themselves out or put them away. Given the fact that it was the first time out, I was happy with everything."

Twins closer Glen Perkins, who is leaving camp to join Team USA in Arizona on Sunday, threw a scoreless inning in relief with two strikeouts.

Up next for the Twins: Right-hander Mike Pelfrey is set to make his second Grapefruit League start on Sunday against the Rays at 12:05 p.m. CT at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Fla. Pelfrey, who had Tommy John surgery on May 1, gave up three runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays in his first start on Tuesday. Left-hander David Price, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, is slated to start for Tampa Bay.